Centere of his Universe
by BookwormLKH
Summary: Jarod discovers he is a father… and not only that Ms. Parker is his baby’s mother. How can this be? How else…The Centere interfering. Can they escape with their lives and their daughter? But it doesn't stop there… ParkerJarod
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There are pretenders among us, geniuses with the ability to become anyone they want to be. In 1963 a corporation known as the Centere isolated a young pretender named Jarod and exploited his genius for their research. Then one day their pretender ran away.

The phone rang and Miss Parker picked it up with her usual snide "What"

"Parker" Jarod said out of breath and frantic

"Mmm Jarod, what are we up to today? Surgeon? Astronaut? Animal rights activist? Tell me where you are and we'll have lunch" She smirked at her own sarcasm and cruel humor.

"Father" He wheezed

"Parker, im a father, The Centere… they artificially created, god Parker" He sounded as if her were crying

"Jarod? Jesus Jarod, No. No daddy would never approve that. Its… wrong."

"Damn it! Why would I lie? Parker I need your help. I have to get her out of there. My daughter… I have a daughter and she's going to grow up like we did if you don't help me. Please" It was the most desperate he'd ever sounded. And to ask her for help, he had to be insane.

"And if I help you… what do I get?"

"Please… don't ask me for that. Im begging you"

"Your freedom for hers."

"I want to raise my daughter Parker. Please don't deprive me of that. You… the Centere they've stolen my whole life from me, my brother, my parents… not my daughter"

"Jarod…"

"Your freedom, I can hide you. You can start new. Please."

"Jarod why would I want to leave the Centere with such great benefits, I mean, dental, emergency… what more could a girl ask for?"

"A future. Its what Im asking for it's the least I can give you."

"The least?"

"Parker" He growled out

She sighed. She had to be insane to help him. It would get her killed. Oh what the hell, live dangerously, it was her motto.

"all right Jarod, my freedom for your daughters?"

"No tricks?"

"No tricks. I swear on my mother, Jarod, it's the best I can do. I'll help you to get your daughter. Where are you?"

"Here" He said stepping into the room. She jumped 2feet in the air

"Christ you scared me, you brainiac asshole."

"Im sorry…here…To add incentive" He said holding up a manila envelope.

"what is it?"

"Your mother, personal journals, more safety deposit boxes, Children she's saved. I left all the addresses and names, so when we are out, I will give them to you. Or if you honestly try and were captured I'll make sure the location of the information gets to you."

"Wont help me if Im dead."

"That wont happen. Because if It comes to someone dying, It will be me, and I ask you to raise my…daughter as your own. In the same location as the information are instructions to hide and escape the Centere. Ive been doing it for 3 years, im impressively good at it by now." He laughed off some of the tension

"That's not funny Jarod" She glared at the idea of him being dead

"No, I don't suppose it is. Im sorry. But will you?"

"Look after your daughter?" He nodded looking so lost and hopeful, So vulnerable.

"Yes, Jarod. I will. I swear it. I cant believe you trust me with this" He took her hands.

"I trust you with my life Parker. I always have." A memory jolted her of them in their late teens. She had saved him from being caught trying to escape. He had lied to her father and Sydney for her.

"Where is she?"

"Sub Level 27"

"God" She breathed. "What are they doing to her down there?"

"right now? Studying her genetics, cognitive and motor skills… next week…"

"We need to do this now. Im bringing in Sydney and Broots. There is no way to do this with out them."

He grabbed her arm "can we trust them. Parker this is my daughters life were talking about"

"I know Jarod trust me. I wont let her down" he let her go and nodded.

'I trust you"

She nodded in return, picked up the phone and hit the speed dial for the lab all with out taking her eyes off Jarod for a moment.

"Hello?" Sydney's polite and gentle voice came on

"Syd, I need you and Broots down here now. Its about Jarod."

"What have you discovered?"

"If I was going to tell you on the phone would I have bothered to tell you to come down here"

"of course, your right Miss Parker. We will be there momentarily."

"Thank you for your generous cooperation." She said sarcastically and hung up with out saying goodbye

"You know, your phone manors leave something to be desired, you catch more flies with honey than…"

"balh blah blah. What's the plan?"

"shouldn't we wait for Broots and Sydney?"

"Why not? Great big family meeting."

"Parker, I really appreciate this. Beyond words, or gestures. I…I found out yesterday. I was hacking into the Centere's mainframe. She was in an encrypted file with… your fathers access code and so many fire walls I couldn't even count." He was crying now and she sat down next to him putting her arm around his shoulders.

"She's almost 2 months old. She…they implanted her in a surrogate mother, and killed her the minute she was born. They plan to…" He broke down into sobs and put his head in her lap. She pet his hair for what felt like an hour letting him cry out his frustrations and worry, his fear and insecurities.

The door opened and Jarod slid gracefully and quickly into the shadows

"what's up? New coordinates on our rouge avenger?" Broots asked

Sydney followed and the door closed.

"Miss Parker, are you crying?" Sydney asked with his worried fatherly voice.

"am I?" She asked wiping her face

Jarod reached out of the shadows and squeezed her shoulder. Broots nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Jarod, is that you?"

"Sydney" He nodded curtly.

"Jarod what are you doing here? You could get caught."

"They have my little girl Sydney"

"what little girl? I don't understand." Broots said striating his collar from embarrassment

"The Centere took his genes, mingled them and made a child." Parker answered wiping her tears

"My god, Jarod…thats no better than rape" Sydney said

"I know, and now im here to take her away from this" Jarod said

"And were helping" Parker added

"What?" this from Broots

"Im not asking Broots, we owe this to Jarod,"

"Miss Parker is right, it's at the very least the decent thing to do."

"and in return, I will hide you from the Centere if you wish me to." Jarod said

Broots was taken aback, what an absurd idea. "hide? how?"

"I have my ways. Your daughter too. New life, new identities. You won't ever be found."

"Im sorry Jarod, but there needs to be someone good here at the Centere. It's the only thing keeping this place from becoming…pure evil" Out of the two, Jarod had expected Sydney to want to leave the Centere more than Broots.

"I cant risk my daughter or my ex-wife. I have a large family Jarod, you cant hide them all. Besides, actions have their consequences. I chose this job, I'll see it through. Besides, they never ask me to do anything particularly despicable. Just run security programs, ya know. No Jarod, thank you, but Im…fine here. For now" Jarod nodded. Just him and Miss Parker then… and their little girl.

"So what's the plan?" The woman afore mentioned asked


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER 2_

An hour later Miss Parker walked down the halls with Jarod in cuffs and Sydney and Broots in toe. Whispered words flew around them like the wind and glances cast like drops of rain in a spring storm.

Jarod was back.

She shoved him into the elevator and pressed the button 23.

"It'll look suspicious if we go straight to level 26. Theres nothing down there, we'll have to walk the stairs from there on." Parker said to her captive

"I know I wasn't questioning you."

"Broots the cameras on 26 are…"

"out of order… temporarily. I looped the feed, but we've only got an hour before it switches off so move your tails."

"Thank you both." Jarod said

"Its our pleasure. Congratulations Jarod. Im happy for you."

"Sydney, you're the closest thing to a real father that I can remember. Thank you for that."

"Im touched Jarod. I know that this is probably the last time I will see you again, at leased I hope" he smiled briefly " You have been the son I never had, do try to keep in touch, I'd love pictures of my quasi-granddaughter." He laughed with his eyes as only Sydney could.

"I'll secure a post box and contact you in a few weeks once everything has cooled down" Then he turned to Broots.

"You have no reason to help me, yet you do anyway. Thank you so much. I'll make sure you get your due." He said thinking of the 4.6 million dollars he had bouncing around his multiple bank accounts.

"Jarod…you don't have to do anything for me…im just...ya know…happy to help." He saluted.

"Well then think of it as a college loan for your daughter. Princeton, full ride, housing books, transportation, wardrobes. The works. Your just about to inherit 3 million dollars from your dead Aunt Ida."

Broots paled 3 shades and Sydney chuckled.

"You seem optimistic Jarod." The older man observed

"To be anything else could jeopardize this mission. I need to be positive and focus. You taught me that." They both looked knowingly at each other.

"All right this is it." The loan woman on the elevator breathed out. The door opened.

"clear" Broots whispered. Sydney and Jarod hugged their final goodbye and Jarod patted Broots's shoulder on the way out. "Thank you so much" and like a trick of light both Parker and Jarod had slipped into the stairwell and were gone.

Getting into sub level 27 was easier than either had anticipated. There was virtually no security at all, Probably because virtually no one at the Centere knew of the little experiments going on down here. Infact, virtually no one knew that down here existed.

Jarod gave memorized instructions on how to find the holding keep for his little girl while Parker kept her gun trained on their continually winding path. Astonishingly they found no security along the way either. The only two guards were those placed at the baby's door. Easily disposed of.

Jarod opened the door to find a brightly colored room filled with stuffed animals, play blox multiplication tables, flash cards, a large wall of t.v.'s and one senior partner of the Centere

"Daddy?"

"Angel what are you doing here? Jarod!"

"Daddy what is this? Tell me you didn't have anything to do with this."

"oh Angel don't be so naïve. Do you really think that a corporation like the Centere got where it is today by playing it safe? By being nice and moral and polite. I did what had to be done"

"What are you talking about?"

"He's talking about the rape of his only daughter." Jarod said

"but… I… oh daddy no." she said with the realization that this baby was not only Jarod's daughter, but hers. Why? Why not as her father would say

"Angel, Im sorry. Truly I am, but this had to be done, it was a matter of survival for the Centere. "

"how could you justify that to yourself. Your daughter is more than a survival tool for your morally corrupt hierarchy in this corporation"

"You shut up boy. You were trouble from the start. Ever since you were brought here. Endless trouble."

"that's what happened when you through a good, morally sound innocent boy in with scum like you." Parker snapped

"You'll not talk to me like that young lady!" He raised his hand to her and brought it down into Jarod's waiting hand.

"You don't touch her." He seethed before ramming his fist straight into his nose thrusting the small bones and hard cartilage into the old mans brain.

"Oh god, Jarod" she put her hands up and covered her mouth gasping and crying

"Im sorry" he said. She sniffed.

"no. its all right. He got what he deserved" She straightened herself "lets go"

The baby began to scream and Parker picked her up

"Hello my darling, hello. Yes, were here to take you away. Were gonna take you home. Don't worry. Its all right now. Its all going to be ok…" She hesitated, looked at Jarod then back to her daughter. "Daddy wont let anything happen to you. No. he wont." The baby quieted and cooed. Just then an alarm sounded.

"Parker, run!" they flew up 20 flights of stairs in 5 minutes fueled purely by adrenaline.

"how do we get out Jarod?"

"The ventilation system." He pulled a grate open and took the baby from her arms.

"you first" She climbed in and reached for the yellow swaddling bundle. It was passed and Jarod climbed in and replaced the grate.

"Go up about 50 feet." He said and the ducked an ran

"left" he instructed from memory. And on they went for 20 more minutes. Up a shaft, turn right, left, left right again, up 30 more feet. When they came to the exit Jarod leapt out first, scouted and took the baby from Parker while she pulled herself from the hole. She emerged and dusted off her clothing then reached for the infant who had fallen asleep in the escape. She looked so much like her father.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to after we got Catherine out of there. I just didn't think if I told you before hand that you'd be clear minded enough to help to the best of your abilities. Im sorry"

"Catherine?"

"I thought you'd like it, For your mother. Is it all right?" She smiled and nodded. Truth be told she loved it. Its exactly what she planned to name her daughter while fantasizing as all women do.

Then her smile faltered. The reality of what had just happened and what could have happened came down on her like a ten-ton weight. She almost fainted but remembered her daughter, her precious, vulnerable, fragile daughter that she held in her hands.

"Jarod.." The tears came like a wild river

"Parker, look at me," He took her face in his hands and met her gaze with his.

"were out. We never have to look back. We made it. Its all going to be okay. I promise. I promise, Parker. It will all be all right." When her sobs didn't stop her pulled her to him in a soothing warm embrace cradling their baby girl between their bodies. "its okay Parker, its okay" She was in such a state of shock that she never felt Jarod scoop her up into his arms and carry her to a care about 1 mile into the woods while she clutched to her sleeping child for dear life.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Parker woke in a strange bed under strange blankets in a strange home.

When her eyes focused she saw Jarod asleep halfway in a chair and half way on her right thigh. When she moved to sit up he snapped to attention with concern

"Tell me that it all wasn't a dream Jarod. Please"

"No." He said, his eyes softening. "It was very much a reality. We have a daughter, your father is dead and the Centere is all behind us." Just as he finished the baby in another room began squalling "See, what did I tell you/" Parker attempted to get up and comfort her baby. How strange that she had no resistance to the idea, it took no getting used to. It simply was and she was very content with it. "Don't even think about moving, you scared me to death going into shock like that, though why I didn't anticipate it I'll never know, but your not leaving this bed for at least a day. I'll bring her to you. Stay put" he darted out of the room, hushed the baby and brought her to the bed for her mother. He sat next to her and laid the infant in her arms

"She's so tiny Jarod."

"I know. She looks like you"

"She looks like you" she countered.

"Your eyes. " He said

"Your nose, and your ears"

"your smile"

"Your mole" She said in a definite tone that seemed to end the playful banter. It was true. Se had the smallest dark circle under her right eye.

His smiled seemed to go from ear to ear. This seemed so right. Him here holding Parker, holding their daughter.

"your going to be a wonderful mother" He told her kissing her head.

"and you a father…" she smiled "just seems right doesn't it?" He nodded.

"were in this together. No matter what" She nodded in agreement.

"where are we?"

"Some where in the mountains of Maryland."

"and the Centere?"

"has no possible way of knowing," She breathed a sigh of relief.

The baby began crying again and both of their focus was drawn immediately to their daughter.

"what's wrong Angel?" Jarod asked running a hand through her hair

"daddy always called me Angel" Parker said

"Im so sorry Parker, but I felt… that I had to… to insure your… and Catherine's safety."

"I know. I would have done the same thing for the both of you." She smiled

"Its so weird how, natural this feels. Us, with a baby, you and me." She said boldly.

"yes, it feels…nice. Is this what family feels like?"

"I…I don't know Jarod. I wouldn't know either. But your right, it feels nice. We'll make it up as we go along, how about it?" He nodded

"sounds fantastic" He said as he kissed her temple.

"So who are we masquerading as? Brother and sister Shirley raising a poor hapless orphan?"

"actually, Mr. And Mrs. Jarod and Angel rose and their daughter Catherine."

"Mr. and Mrs. Huh? Well I don't have a ring, _Mr. _ Rose." He smiled

"leave it to you Parker." He stood, went to the end of the bed and pulled out a ring box from his coat.

"will this do?" he asked holding out a set of matching silver bands and a silver engagement ring with a sapphire stone set.

"'will this do?' I don't believe that those are the proper words Mr. Rose." She smirked.

He gave a coy smile back. "as you wish, Mrs. Rose." He knelt on one knee and opened the box, "Ms. Parker, will you marry me? I have loved you since I was 14 years old. You gave me my first kiss, I want you to give me my last kiss, I would be lost with out you." His eye shown with a sincerity that he hadn't known hed felt until the words began pouring from his lips.

She smiled with tear eyes. "that's better." She smiled switching the baby from her right arm to her left.

"'That's better' " he said in a mock imitation of her voice "why Mrs. Rose that was not the correct reply to that question" he jested

"My apologies Mr. Rose. I would love nothing more than to be your wife. But I expect a full authentic ceremony with a white dress an a layered cake. The works." She said jestingly back.

"As you wish." He kissed her cheek. But when he pulled back and looked into her eyes, he leaned back in to this time kiss her full lips.

"Parker." He whispered as he pulled away again.

"me too, Jarod. I love you too" He smiled and went to kiss her again when the infant between them began to whimper in her mother's lap.

"I think she's wet." Parker observed

"I'll change her, you get some rest, please. It won't kill you to take a day off. You'll have plenty of work to do when you have more energy. I read that the first week that an infant is home is the worst and most time consuming stressful period."

"you read to much Jarod _Rose_."

"I love you Mrs. Rose"

"I love you too Mr. Rose… go on, get out of here before I change my mind and kidnap my daughter back." She said pushing on his arm lightly and playfully.

"all right, sleep well and have good dreams"

"what more could I dream of?" She mumbled to her self as she fell asleep.

Down the hall Jarod laid a simpering daughter on the changing table.

"Daddies little angel, what more could I dream of huh? What more could I dream of" He asked the baby in a cooing baby talk.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Two months later.

Jarod picked up his gorgeous 4 months old daughter out of the play pen and set her on the blanket on the kitchen floor.

"There, how's that? You can help daddy cook, that sound good?" the baby gurgled in reply

"Sounds like a plan Stan" Jarod said and chuckled to himself.

"How does macaroni sound?" the baby whimpered "No? Mashed potatoes?" Her response was a toothless grin "Mashed potatoes it is my princess." He kissed her bald head and went back to the stove.

"Jarod!" Angel (Parker) yelled from the bathroom in utter distress. Jarod dropped the pan on the counter and ran to the bedroom.

"What! What is it?" He asked frantically.

She turned to him teary eyes and held up a plastic stick

"What?"

"Jarod, Im pregnant." His face fell and his eyes glossed over with unshed tears

"all…all right, I…I don't know what to say." He stammered.

"what to say Jarod? YOU don't know what to say?"

"You told me you hadn't slept with anyone Parker, not since Matt. How could you lie to me?" He questioned

"I DIDN'T!" She yelled tears flying from her face.

"How could you not have? Whos baby is it then Parker? We havent…"

"Damn it Jarod, look at me! I didn't lie, I haven't had sex in two years….and Im pregnant"  
She burst into a fresh wave of tears and shrank to the floor. As she did Catherine began to cry in the kitchen

"I'll get her" Jarod said

"No, No Ive got her." Angel wiped her eyes, lifted herself from the floor and went to retrieve her daughter. Jarod dropped onto the bed and put his hands in his face. He waited 15 minutes and Parker returned

"She's down for a nap."

"Babies don't come from nowhere Parker, they just don't… Im… Im sorry I got so upset, but when you told me… I just…I just wanted for us to… to start over. I wanted the next child we had to really, and truly be ours. I don't mean that Catherine… What im trying to say is…"

"I know Jarod, I know what your trying to say. But…but Catherine did come from somewhere, and so did this baby, and I think I have to say this…god I don't want to but…what if they came from the…the same place… what if…"

"The Centere." He gritted and massaged his face with his left hand. Tear were in both their eyes when Jarod stood and pulled her fiercely into his arms.

"Im so sorry." He whispered.

"Its all right.

"No. No it isn't. I just cant believe…that your…"

"Daddy was a very bad man Jarod, but its behind us now. We thought wed get out with only memories of that place. We should have known that it wouldn't be that easy. No clean break. Jarod I cant hate this baby. No matter how it was conceived, no matter how evil the mean for its conception. It apart of me… and I hope… that is a part of you too." He sniffed.

"Even if it isn't Parker, You have to know that Im going to be here. I'll love them, No differently than I do Catherine. He wont ever know that he's not ours."

"Oh, Jarod how could they do this?"

"I don't know baby, I don't know." He kissed her head

"if you want we can do a paternity test at the clinic."

"No. This is your baby Jarod. No matter who fathered it, its your baby." He smiled

"Our baby. Our babies."

"Yea. Our babies. Jarod you have to promise me something"

"Anything" He swore

"Next time, we do this the right way." She said putting a hand on her still flat tummy

"Next time? How many children do you intend to have Parker?"

"A dozen, at least." He gulped and buried his head in her shoulder moaning.

"Or maybe two" she joked. He nipped her neck and pulled back enough to look into her eyes.

"I love you Parker, Nothing will ever change that… but no more than 8" She laughed at the last part

"Make it ten and you've got a deal"

"Fine ten" He conceded

"good. Then I love you too"

"Oh? And if Id said no?"

"mmmm Id have to think about it" she smirked and then smiled brightly

he groaned "Your gonna get it woman" He warned her and kissed her passionately.

"I like getting it." She said

"You know that once we start this, that our darling daughter is going to cry" He said sucking on her lower lip

"She always does." Parker admitted "But quitters never win"

"Well when you put it that way" he laid her back on the bed and began kissing his way down her shirt line… When the baby woke and began to exercise her over sized lungs. They both groaned and went to check on their daughter.


End file.
